Improved gas-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM S. MAXIM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED GAS-MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 81,922, dated Sqitembor'S, 1868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatv I, Hman S. MAXnu, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gas-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication, in which@ Figure 1 represents a vertical central section of my improved gas-machine. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view, partly in section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical. section 0i' the same, taken on the line ma, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a new gas-machine, which is so arranged that the production of gas will be entirely automatically regulated, and that the volume of gas, as well as its pressnre, is under automatic control.

'lhe invention consists in the arrangement of the various devices for regulating the pressure of the evaporated gas, for regulating the quantity of illuminating-gas made, and for regulating the supply of air to the machine, all as hereinafter more fully described.

A in the drawing .represents a vessel'of upright cylindrical or other suitable form, supported on suitable legs or standards and surrounding another vessel or cylinder, B, which is the gasoline-tank.

The lower part of the vessel A is or may be enlarged under the tank B, the enlarged portion being the heating-chamber or furnace. This heating-chamber a communicates with the annular chamber b, that surrounds the tank B, and has a door, c, to allow inspection.

The sides of the heating-chamber are perforated, and those of the annular chamber h also, near the top, to produce a suicient draft, the apertures being closed by wire-gauze or other perforated material. The tank B communicates, by means of two or more pipes, C C, with an upright cylinder, D, which is outside of the vessel A, the pipes C passing through the side of A, as shown. All the parts of this machine are made of stron g sheet metal or other suitable strong material.

Into the cylinder D enters a supply-pipe, E,

in which an inward-opening valve, d, is arranged, said valve being held against its seat by means of aV spring, as shown, to prevent gas or liquid matter from escaping, while, with suitable power to overcome thc spring, liquid matter or gas may be forced into the cylinder by means ot' a pump or otherwise.

The gasoline, or other liquid from which the gas is to be made, is pumped into the cylinder D, and enters the tank B through the pipes G, so as to stand at the same height in both vessels.

An indicator, E, for showing the height ot' the liquid in the cylinder, is arranged on the same, and is operated by a iioat, e, or otherwise.

F is the discharge-pipe, projecting from thc cylinder. The residue ot the spent gasoline is to be withdrawn through it. 1t is closed by means of a perforated screw-plug, f, which, when somewhat Withdrawn from its packed seat, will let the liquid escape through its apertures. Instead of the plugf, a faucet or other suitable device may be used.

The lower part of the cylinder D communi` cates by means of a tube or aperture, g, with a pipe, G, which extends into the furnace a, and which is perforated within that furnace, as shown.

The gas escapes from the cylinder into the pipe G, and is ignited within the furnace, as it escapes through the apertures of -the said pipe. The flame thus arranged in the furnace heats the tank and causes the evaporation of the gasoline therein and in the cylinder.

The pressure created against the sides ot' the tank and cylinder can be measured by means of a gage, H, arranged on the cylinder.

It is a valve arranged in `the pipe (l, and connected by means of a rod, if, with an ela'stic diaphragm, j, that is stretched across the enlarged outer part ot'. the pipe Gr, as shown.

The valve is olf its seat K when the machine is in operation, but when the pressure of the gas in theeylinder is such as to bend the diaphragm outward, the valve will be drawn against its seat and will close the pipe Cr, to prevent any more gas from reaching the heatingchamber, thereby extinguishing the larne and preventing the production of more heat.

When the pressure relaxes, the diaphragm 9' will, by its own elasticity, force the valve open again, and the gas will then re-enter the heating-chamber. e y

To prevent the diaphragm from being overstraincd, its center will strike the end ot' a setscrew, l, as soon as the valve is closed, and the length of the rod can also be regulated by means of a nut, m, as shown in Fig. l.

By the apparatus liereinbefore described, the pressure of the gas will be automatically regulated. When it is too strong, the flame in the heating-chamber will be extinguished 5 when it is too little, it will be increased by the flame.

l,Above the vessel A and tank B is arranged another vessel, I, which is the gas-receiverthat is, which receives the evaporated gasoline from the tank, and in which such evaporated gasoline is converted into illuminatinggas. This chamber I is, or may be, affixed to the top of the tank, as shown, and is of such suitable size as is requisite tol keep up the necessary supply. The covering plate n of the vessel Y'I is somewhat vconical and perforated. Below it is stretched across the whole chamber a diaphragm, J, which divides I into two chambers, the real gas-holder being below the diaphragm.

From the middle of the diaphragm J is suspended a rod, 0which slides in a slotted tube, p, projecting from the bottom of the vessel I, and which is, by means of a pin, V, connected with an oscillating lever, L.

The tank communicates with the vessel I by means of an aperture, r, in which a downwardclosing valve, S, is arranged. This valve is suspended from an oscillating lever, t, which swings around the same pin uby which the lever L is pivoted to a stationary part ot' the machine.

The lever t projects beyond the pivot, and has, at its outer end, projecting arms w w, as in Fig. 2. Similar arms project from thelever L, near the tube p, as shown.

The ends ot' the arms x are connected with those of the arms in, respectively, bymea-ns of springs y y, shown in Fig. 2.

.From the aperture r extends a tube, M, into the chamber I, through which tube the gas from the tank is conducted vinto the gas-holder.

When the chamber I is entirely filled with gas the diaphragm J will be raised, and will raise with it the rod o, thereby carrying the outer end ofthe lever L up with it. As soon as, by such motion ot' the lever L, its arms are raised above the line drawn through the arms n and pin u, the springs y will, by their tendency Vto contract, draw up also the outer end of the lever t, thus instantaneously closing the valve S, and preventing a further supply of gas from entering I..

When the chamber I is being gradually emptied, the diaphragm will, fall and with it the the pin o, and when, by such motion, the arms w are brought below the line drawn through the arms 'w and pin u, the springs y will draw oft its scat. The supply to the chamber I is then again started.

ratus the motions oi' the valve are quite sudden, so as not to allow. any other but free supply or eomplete's't'opping of the same, and that, at the same time, thc supply is regulated quite automatically.

.c is a cam iitted upon a rod, N, under the outer end ot' the lever t. By turning 'the rod N the cam can be caused to raise the outer end of t, so as to keep the valve s entirely closed.

The tube M, which is more fully shown in Fig. 3, has au enlarged portion, a', the outer end of which extends through the side of the chamber I. .y

It has a perforated partition, b', in its enlarged part, which partition has a small elongated aperture to let the gas pass through it in a thin jet. Some distance from the partition b commences, inl the tube M, another tube, c', which, with its outer end through the side M, as in Fig. 3.

The gas blown through b' enters the tube d, and passes thence into the chamber I. The jet of gas blown violently through b' causes a partial vacuum behind it, and carries with it enough air to produce the required mixture for illuminating-gas.

The air enters the outer end of the tube M, or rather enlargement a', and passes around the tube c back to the jet, by which it is taken up.

The quantity of air admitted is regulated by a perforated cap or ring, d', iitted over the perforated outer part of M.

To prevent gas from being blown out through the end of M, a valve, c', is arranged therein, which will allow air to enter, but nothing to escape.

j is apipe extending from the gas-chamber -I to the heating-chamber a. It has a small burner at its lower end, and is constantly supplied withY gas Vfrom the chamber I to automatically ignite the gas of the pipe G whenever the pressure in the tank has been reduced,- as hereinbefore described.

Through a pipe, g', the illuminating-gas can be drawn oft' the gasholder I.

This gas-machine can with safety be attached to a railroad-car or other` apparatus, and, as it is very compact and occupies but a small space, it will not be objectionable by being cumbersome.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentr1,'A gas-machine in which the production of gas is automatically stopped when its press nrc, as well as when its quantity, is excessive, and as automatically restarted, when the didiculty is overcome, as set forth.

2. The cylinder C, connected with the inclosed tank D, to show the height and pressdown the arms fw, thereby raising the valve s It willbe noticed that by the above appa-v passes ure of the contents of the tank, and to convey part of them to the heating-chamber, as specied.

3. The burner-tube Gr, when provided with a valve, h, which is connected with a diaphragm,j, so as to be closed when the pressure of the gas is too high, as set forth.

4. The combination, with each otherfof the four separate vessels A, B, D, and I, the latter having the elastic diaphragm J stretched across it, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. The device for ,automatically operating the valve s, which regulates the flow of gas into the gas-holder I, said device consisting of the diaphragm J, pin o, lever I, lever t, arms w x, and springs y, all arranged, combined, and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

6. The pipe M, for conducting the evaporated gasolihe to the gas-holder and for mixing it with the required quantity of air, said tube containing the perforated partition b', the interior tube c', and the valve e', all made and operating substantially as herein shown and escrib'ed.

7. he cam z, for keeping the valve s closed, as set forth.

8. The pipe ff, for conducting illuminating-gas from the gas-holder I to the heatingchamber a, substantially asand for the purpose herein shown and described.

H. S. MAXIM.

Witnesses:

FRANK BLOCKLEY, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

